At the launch of the 2024 staging of the Burger King 5K and Relay, which was held inside the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium at Jamaica College on Old Hope Road, coaches, sponsors, and partners lauded the event for nurturing and providing a platform for young athletes.

This year’s 5K and Relay is scheduled to take place on Sunday, November 10 at Emancipation Park in New Kingston.

“Well, I think this event has become a staple on the track calendar and I think that it has made a significant contribution to the preparation of our athletes in the ISSA [Inter-secondary Schools Sports Association] Boys’ and Girls’ Championships each year,” ISSA President Keith Wellington told the Jamaica Observer.

“It not only provides a platform for them to be a great athlete, but also the incentives that are given to the schools that participate, they go a far way,” he added.

Coach at Jamaica College, Duane Johnson, concurred with Wellington’s assessment.

“This initiative is one that is welcomed and that’s why we support it every year. It gives us that launching pad to prepare for events like Champs. The cash incentive also helps, because to prepare for a championship, it’s very costly, and so the money that Burger King gives back to us to participate helps in a big way, and we really appreciate it,” Johnson stated.

Last year, Jamaica College won the BK Big Finish and came second in the 4×15 relay.

Gold medallist in the Carifta Games U-20, Pan American U-20, and World U-20 Championships Alana Reid is the new Burger King brand ambassador and is also the face of this year’s Burger King 5K and Relay.

“It’s a really good feeling to be a part of the Burger King family, it’s something that I really appreciate. Just to see how much they have done for student-athletes and also by helping out with scholarships, it really warms my heart,” said Reid, who was a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team at the Paris Olympic Games.

Nadia Kiffin Green, the head of sales and marketing at Burger King, explained the decision to relocate the event to Emancipation Park.

“We’ve been growing in size. I mean, over the years, we have been in Portmore and a lot of people have said they want to participate but were not sure about coming to Portmore. So now we are in the heart of New Kingston, and there are no excuses. This is all about development for our schools, so come out, support your alma mater and when you register, you can pick your school, allow your school to win $400,000 in the Burger King Big Finish Challenge for the BK 5K and Relay,” Kiffin-Green shared.

Established in 2000, the event is heralded as one of the prime events that prepare students for the major track events. It is also focused on providing competitive training opportunities for athletes, supporting school projects and promoting community spirit.

This year, the prize pool exceeds $1 million, with remarkable incentives for participants. For the school that has the most participants completing the 5K race within 35 minutes, $400,000 cash will be awarded in the BK Big Finish Race. Non-school groups are also eligible for a $100,000 prize.

For the high school relay, a cash pool of $300,000 will be awarded to participants who finish between first to fifth place.

Registration for the Burger King 5K and Relay begins on October 11.

Among the entities who have thrown their sponsorship behind the initiative are Rainforest Seafood, Soccer Xpress, Suncity 104.9 FM, First Global Bank, Tru Shake, Wata, Powerade, and CVM TV.